Taken a liking to you

My main goal right now is to say goodbye to my family. And I would be lying if I said it didn’t played I big part in this decision. But I also want to help them. I really do.

Volkan stares me down, the smirk turned into a serious face, analyzing me.

“Very well, it will be good to have you close by so we can keep an eye on you. At the very least until you finished the training and your first mission.”

“Training? First mission?”

“Of course, the job of a guild member is extremely hard and important. And beyond everything, dangerous. If you pass the potential exam and training, you go on your first mission, and only if you do well do you get to join us. Then and only then you will be accepted as a true member of the Resting Guild!” Volkan leaves his seat.

“Lumiere and Ruina, you come with me. You still have the reports of your last sighting, right? Gora, you seem to have taken a liking to Akihiko so you can take him back to HQ. I heard you barely left his side when he was sleeping.” Lumiere and Ruina are smiling.

Gora’s face turns beet red.

“Wha…!!! I didn’t take a liking to him! I mean, I don’t dislike him. Definably don’t dislike him. I MEAN, I was worried because he passed out after I shook him! I barely know him, and he barely knows me! He barely knows anyone in fact!”.

“That’s the perfect opportunity to get to know each other. If he does well, he will be your future guildmate after all. Make sure to show him the ropes.” Volkan says approaching me.

He puts his hand on my shoulder, and it begins to glow orange. My whole body heats up. My left arm and right ankle begin to let out steam. The pain is gone.

Volkan staggers a bit like he suddenly lost his balance. Gora and Lumiere ready themselves to rush to his side, but Volkan raises his hand stopping them.

“Please be careful Vol-Chan! You know you can’t push yourself like that!” Ruina has a clear concern in her voice.

“Nonsense, these old bones can handle this much. Plus, we want our new recruit to be in top shape.” Volkan’s voice sounds tired.

“I hope you have the potential Akihiko. The kins didn’t awaken in equal numbers, so dragons and humans who awakened are few and far between. Although we are different in appearance, we can share in this bond created by rarity. We don’t know yet if you are the miracle we prayed Sonala to send us, but nonetheless, it makes me truly happy that you have woken up.”

He gives me a faint smile.

“We’ve known each other for very little time but I also took a liking to you.”

Is weird to explain, but it felt like I was getting talked to by a family member.

“Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

“Although in your case, there is another human that decided to join our cause! You’ll get to meet Lara-Chan!” Ruina chimes in.

“There’s another human on your HQ?”

“Yes, I hope you get along with her and everyone else soon! They are all super friendly, I’m sure they are going to be super excited to meet you!”

Volkan, Lumiere and Ruina take their leave, there’s only me and Gora in the room.

“So… I guess it is just the two of us now.” She’s started fidgeting with her dreamcatcher.

“We should, uh, return to your room. We had planned some food for you after the meeting was over but no one really expected that declaration from you y'know. You’re amazing y’know? Making that declaration after just waking up.”

“I just have a feeling this is what I should do.”

We just stand there in the empty room.

“So uhm, you can lead the way? I have no idea how to get back to the room”

“Oh right! Of course, uhm, just follow me.” She looks nervous.

There is an awkward silence between us, but Gora keeps glancing at me but every time I look at her, she looks away.

I think their joke about her taking a liking to me made her uncomfortable.

(What do I do now? My social skills with girls are definitely zero.) I decide to just stay quiet.

We get back to the room I woke up in, and Gora stayed guarding the door outside.

On top of the bed there’s a change of clothes. I take off my bandages and look at my wounds. They are almost fully healed.

(Just how powerful is Volkan?)

After getting dressed I look at the table where the water jug was previously. There’s a fancy breakfast with teas, bread, cheeses, jams and delicate looking pastries.

(It would be a shame to eat this alone…) I gather my courage and call Gora to join me, expecting to be rejected. She seems reluctant but says yes.

I eat bread with jam and cheese, and she goes for the pastries. A surprisingly girly choice for someone with a tomboyish look and so many muscles.

It’s delicious.

I have no idea if it was because I was starving or due to this body never having eaten real food before, but this is the best food I’ve ever eaten.

The bread is soft with a light crunch; the jams have just the right amount of sweet and cheese melt in my mouth with the creaminess. Probably a benefit of not having any preservatives too.

After we finished eating Gora takes a deep breath.

“Sorry bout their bad jokes back there. Must be really off-putting hearing that a girl that’s all muscle has taken a liking to you. You can just ignore em.” She forces a smile.

“It’s okay. I knew they were joking.” Gora keeps smiling but looks a little sad about what I said.

I’ve known her for so little time but not seeing her genuine smile feels wrong. I take a deep breath.

“But it wasn’t off putting at all, you know!! Your muscles are impressive, and you are really kind too! Thank you for being by my side when I was out. I hope we get along and get to know each other better too!” I say trying to bring her good mood back.

Her fake smile vanishes from her face substituted with a dumbfounded look.

“Oh… yeah! Sure, yeah, no problem! Anytime! Ha ha! Oh, we, ah, we better get going!” She starts to smile again but looks the other way, hiding her face from me.

I think I failed.

We finished eating and start to head out of the building. Into the city of Altarius, the capital of Morlum.